Lens-cutting machine



W- W. SLADE.

LENSCUTTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNK-12, 1920.

1,388,774. Patgnted Aug. 23, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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3% atty.

UNITED STATES PATENT orri WALTER W. SLADE, OF BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T GLOBE OPTICAL company, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION LENS-CUTTING MACHINE.

Application filed June 24,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER W. SLADE, a citizen of the United States,and resident of Brookline, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Lens-Cutting Machines, of

' which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is an improvement in the lens cutting machine of the type shown. in prior patents Nos. 813,459, issued Feb. 27, 1906, and 1,186,254, issued June 6, 1916, and the object of the invention is to improve and perfect machines of this type.

In my present improvements upon. the ma chine of said prior patents, I have very greatly improved the general design, construction, operation and compactness, and have made the work carrying. arm which is pivotally mounted and adapted to maintain. the cutting tool in position to follow a pattern, with a long and rigid bearing and with the yielding means for holding the same in contact with the pattern, protected and concealed from view. Formerly the spring and its adjusting means was in the top portion of the machine and considerably in the way of the operators view, and the adjusting chain was apt to be in the way of his work. I have now so arranged the pivotal arm and its spring and adjustment that the latter is concealed within the base of the instrument, leaving the view of the operator unobstructed and with greater freedom to operate the machine. Furthermore, this improved construction gives me the benefit of a relatively long bearing for this arm, together with a more simple casting and compact construction. l

A further feature of the invention consists in the provision of means which will enable the working tool to be quickly thrown outfof cutting engagement, while still main taining all the adjustments, tension, etc.,v to which the apparatus has been set. This improvement is important because the adjustments for cutting must be accurately and finely made ina machineof this type and considerable time, care, skill and atten-. tionis required in the same. By my present improvement I have provided a machine which will maintain these adjustments, once made, and permit a quick and ready removal Specification of Letters Patent.

or MASSACHUSETTS.

1920. Seria1'No.391,416.

Patented Aug. 23,1921. 7

of'a' completed lens and repositioningof a lens to be out without disturbing the adjustments and by a quick and simple movement of the lever which throws the swinging arm carrying the cutting tool into or out of operat ve position, without changing tension of adjustments. This increased speed in operation, saving the time required to change lenses.

A still further and 'very important feature of the present improvement consists in the prov s onlof means to adjustthe angular posit on of the cutting tool with the work. It w1ll be appreciated that in machines of this type, where lenses for eye-glasses, or other optical devices, are being operated upon, great accuracy and delicacy of operatlon are necessary. Heretofore in. cutting lenses the work cutting tool has been necessarily positioned in a substantially vertical plane, and therefore the angle of the cutting point, diamond or the like, has been held at a fixed angle, whereas the lenses being out have varying arcs and consequently the cutting point has not been at right angles with the surface of the lens being out. In high grade work itis'important thatthe cutting point, if possible, be at right angles to the surface, of the lens being out, and my present invention is directed to obviate the difficulties heretofore experienced with a vertically positioned cutting point and to permit angular adjustment of the cutting point with relation to the surface of the lens being operated upon, whereby a substantially right-angled presentation of the: point and lens can be obtained. In my present machine I provide mechanism to accomplish this result, together with the various adjust mentsnecessary and required and also to permit such angle to be maintained during the adjustment of the work holding devices and also during the operation of the lever permits considerably f the means for retaining the clamping member at one side and in permanent position out of the way of the operator, whereas formerly the spring clamping apparatus was freely movable around the'work holding members and this at times was apt to be in contact with the cutting point. I find that it is desirable to have the spring clam ing member thus relatively fixed and accordingly have so arranged the same in the present machine.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a side view, partly in crosssection of my improvedlens cutting machine;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view through the base on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 1 is an enlarged end view of the angular adjusting means for the cutting point. v

As shown in the drawings, I prefer to build the present apparatus as a bench machine having a circular base 1 formed with a central boss 2 bored to receive a movable plunger 3, said plunger carrying a plate 1. The plunger 3 is longitudinally bored and constitutes a bearing for the central stem 5 o f a work table and gear wheel and also for the rod 6 which extends downwardly in contact with the end 01": a lever 12, extending outwardly through an opening 13 in the walls of the base and pivoted at 14: to a pair of lugs 15, 15, as shown,.the handle 18 extending 'at an angle preferably for convenience of the operator, whereby the lever is adapted to oscillate on its pivot 1 1 and the work table 10 raised and lowered.

Formed also at one side of the base 1 is a lug 19 and the plate 4 has a lateral extension 20 extending over said lug 19. A pin 21 projecting from the lug 19 is adapted to fit within a recess 22 within the extension 20, and constitutes a guide for the plate a retaining the same in relative fixed position with the base and machine during the rotation of the gear wheel 10 and the raising and lowering of both the plate 4L and gear 10 through oscillation of the lever 12.

In this extension 20 is formed a recess 24 adapted to receive a coiled spring 25 and normally bearing upwardly upon a lever 30, which latter is pivoted at 31 to iorked arms 32 extending upwardly and forwardly from the extension 20. Thislever is adapted to extend centrally over the work table and gear wheel 1O, as indicated at 33, from which a lens retaining member 35 is fitted by a ball and socket. joint as indicated at 36, and carries a yielding band of rubber or the like 87 to contact with the top of the lens and hold the latter in working position during the cutting operation. -Mounted on and 3S.

nessme the work-table and rotatable gear wheel 10 is a cooperating rubber or yielding cushion 38 to hold thelens to, be cut thus firmly and yieldingly between the cushion members 37 The lever '30 has an outwardly extending )ortion as shown at 39, to which a latchaO is pivoted at 41, said latch extending downwardly and adapted to engage with a tooth 12 in a recess 13 "formed in said latch. Normally the spring 25tends to oscillate the lever 30 on its pivot 31 and depress the holder 35 onto the lens. Oscillation of the lever 30 by compression of the endpcrtion 39 against the tension of the spring 2 5, ,tendsto lifter raise the work holding member 35 and the latch 10 will engage with the tooth a2 and thus hold the work holding member 35 upwardly during the removal of a completed lens andreplacement of a succcedingalens thereon. This construction is substantially shown and described in said prior patent No. 1,186,254., so far as the work holding feature is concerned, and the actuation of the lever 30. lin my present improvement, however, I have arranged the plate a. and extension 20 carrying the lever 30 and associated parts at oneside andout of the way of the oper ators work and view, retaining the same against rotative position by the arrange ment of the stud 21 as above described.

Fitted to the base 1 is an upward extension arranged at the rear of the base and preferably cast integral therewith. This extension 50 is cast hollow, and its upper portion is in the form oi a bearing 51 to receive a shaft having a wheel 53 keyed thereon at the uppermost portion. Said shaft extends downwardly and carries on its base and keyed thereto, a gear wheel 54:, which latterlprojects through an opening 55 in the front portion of the hollow part 50 to mesh with the gear 10 on the rotatable work table. These gears 53 and 54- are preferably ofequal diameter and of a sufiicient width to permit considerable range of vertical adjustment or movement in the work table 10 as thelatter is moved, upwardly in contact with the cutting point, to be described. Extending forwardly substantially over the center- 0f therotatable work table 10, are two brackets 56 and 57, also cast integral with the portion 50, these brackets being journaled to receive a shaft '60, which latter carries a gear 61 on its upper portion in mesh with the gear 53 and'pre ferably of the same diameter as the rotatable work holding gear 10. On the lower portion of the shaft is secured a removable pattern 62. The wheel 61 may be raised and the pattern replaced'by another, being slipped off the end of the shaft 60, which latter is raised out of its journal recess 6 1,indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This construction permits a quick replacement and. interchangeability rotatable position relatively with the shaft 60, by a pair of studs 66, 66, fitting in cor responding recesses in the pattern 62, also indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1, and said studs beingcarried by a collar 67, secured to the shaft 60 by a set screw 68. f p

In the present machine I also cast or form a lug on the side of the upright portion 50, which, in combination with a recess through the base in vertical alinement therewith, as indicated in dotted lines at 71, forms a spaced bearing for the rod 72. This rod has rigidly secured to its uppermost portion a bracket 'providedlwith a pair of forwardly extending forked arms 7 6', 76, and constituting bearings forthe work holding shaft 77. I- prefer to mount the shaft 7 77 as a portion of a quadrant 80, having an adjustable sliding bearing 81 therein adapted to contact with the pattern 62, with a pair of spaced pointsto maintain the quadrant and consequently the shaft 77 always at right angles, tangentially, with the pattern 62. This construction, together with the provision of a top adjustable hearing 81, indicator 82, gage 83 and adjusting nut 85 for the removal beari'ng or slide 81, is substantially identical with the construction shown and described in said prior patent 813,459, and 7 therefore will not be further described here in detail.

My present improvement provides an adjustable means to carry the diamond cutting point on its holder 91 so as to permit angular adjustment thereof with regard to the face of the lens being operated upon while utilizingto thefullest advantage the construction of indicator, sliding bearing, etc., and the features of said prior patents. To this end I attach to the shaft 77 a block 100, having therein an undercut groove 101 in the form of an are, said block bein rigidly secured to the shaft 7 7 by a set screw 103, the block 100 being bored to receive the projecting end portion of the shaft 77.

Fitted to oscillate in the arced groove 101 is the dovetailed portion 105 of an adjustable member 106, the latter carrying rigidly therewith a cutter or diamond holder 91. Consequently the lateral adjustment of the member 106 with its 'groove 105 in the re cess 101 and the block 100, permits angular adjustment of the cutting point 90 through a considerable range, permitting said point to be adjusted and positioned with great and adapted to contact with the bottom of the groove 101 and the fixed block 100. However, as usually only two or three dif ferent angular positions are desired in ordinary work, I prefer to have these angular positions predetermined and automatically locked therein by a simple manual movement of the member 106. For this purpose I form in the topmost surface of the grooved part 105, a series of holes 112, adaptedito receive the rounded end of a plunger 115, which plunger extends through a COlTlQSPOIlCllIlg recess in the fixed block 100 and is secured to the end of a spring 120, the latter attached by a bolt 121, in the side of the block. Consequently with the set screw 110 released or not sent home, the block 106 can be instantly and manually shifted from one position, where the plunger 115 engages a hole'112 to the next, springing'out the rounded end of the plunger as the block is moved and automatr cally locking thesame when the plunger en gages the desired recess 112, This affords a quick and locked adjustment, the set screw 1'10 permitting adjustment intermediate the lock points. i 1 v In order to still further facilitate the ready removal and'replacing of the adjusted cutter arm and assembled parts, I provide the entire'bracket mounted on said post 72 with adjustable yielding means to hold the bracket and sliding guide 81 in contact with the pattern 62 and yet to quickly remove the same out of contact with thework while'all parts are in adjusted position. In carrying out this feature of the invention I extend from the bottom of the rod? 2, within the base 1 of the machine, an arm, 130 (see Fig. 2), to which is attached one end of a coiled spring 133 having its other end secured to a chain 134 which is led through a hole 135 in the base and across a slotted locking plate 136, which latter is adapted to receive any predetermined link of the chain 134 and thus hold the spring 133 under desired tension and consequently to hold the block 81 in adjusted and tensioned contact with the pattern 62. The'bracket 75 has on its inner faces contact plate 140 adapted to bear upon the face 141 or 142 of a lever 144, the latter pivoted at 146 to the inner face of'the upright 50 and having its outer or handle end 150 extending outwardly. The pivot 146 is so positioned with regard to the bearing plate 140 and the faces 141 and 142 that when the lever .144 is swung downwardly through the application of pressure on the handle 150 and the face 142 brought in contact with the plate 140 forcing the entire bracket 75 to swing on its pivot post 77 and against the action of the spring 133, the bracket will be auto matically held in this downwardly swinging position, thus simultaneously removing the cutter 90 and its holder 91 from immediate contact and position against the lens or from being positioned upon the rubber support 38, the clamping lever 33 is released and the yielding portion 37 brought in contact with the top of the lens, and held in this position through the action of: the spring 25. The angular adjustment for the cutting point 90 having been effected through sliding movement of the member 106 in the block 100, the operator then depresses the handle 18, thus raising the plate 4, gear wheel 10, and the lens thus in clamped positien thereon, against'the cutting point 90, the operator simultaneously actuating the handle 155 on the gear wheel 60 to rotate the same. It will be understood that a desired and suitable pattern (32 has been positioned and that the cutter will, of course, follow the contour of said pattern 62. The operator rotating the wheel 61 and conse quently the work table gear 10 and applying desired pressure through the handle 18 for the cutting operation, the lens cutting operation is performed, the handle 18 released and the lever 14:4: depressed to move the work and bracket 77 away. The lever 30 is oscillated to release the lens and the latch 40 will raise the lever 30 in position, or the operator can thus hold the same, whereupon the clamp is lowered into lens engaging position, the lever 14a snapped upwardly, and the cutter and bracket brought back into original adjusted position for immediate performance of the succeeding cutting operation. Various adjustments can, of course, be made from time to time in my present machine and for all purposes, as explained in said prior cases.

My invention is further described and defined in the form of claims asi'ollowsz' 1. A lens cutting machine of the kind described, comprising a swinging support for said cutter, adapted to be held under spring tension toward the work to be operated on, and a lever operable to move the work holder out of operative position.

2. A lens cutting machine of the kind described, comprising a work holder, having a cutter, means to secure angular adjustment between the cutter and the holder, said holder being pivotally mountedto be swung out of operative position, and a pivoted cam lever, operablefto swing thework holder while having its cutter in adjusted position, out of operative position.

3. A lens cutting machine of the kind described, comprising a work holder, having a cutter means to secure angular adjustment between the cutter and the holder, said holder being pivotally mounted to be swung into or out of operative position, and a plv-l oted cam lever, operable to swing the work holder while having its cutter in adjusted position, out ofoperative position, said lever having a two-facedbearingsurface in contact with the support and in a position relatively with its pivot to hold the support locked in outward position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

YVALTER W. 'SLADE. 

